Fan story planning

Plot Summary
Once the son of an aristocratic family whose father was a supporter and come activist for the revolution, Zhenya was eight when his family of three were arrested. Alarmed by the depth of Zhenya’s knowledge obtained through his father regarding the revolutionary cause, he was captured by Lord R and sentenced to re-education via memory alteration in the outskirts of Snezhnaya.

In a remote estate, confined to the few upper floor rooms and in contact with no one but a maid by the name Yulia for the next eight years, he grows up blind to the political unrest in the wake of the Tsaritsa’s ambitions—the very cause that led to his capture. Having no recollection of his true past, Zhenya hones his abilities with the support of Yulia in hope of serving as a swordsman for the Tsaritsa’s newly formed military forces. However, he encounters unexplained difficulties in his advancements which happen to be no other than scars of his forgotten past.

Reassured by Yulia who, without intending to favour his father Lord R’s intentions nor the revolutionary cause, tells Zhenya that his past may be the reason. This unintentionally encourages Zhenya to trace the little remaining of his childhood; from contradicting recounts from eight years ago to banished memories.

The mental toll in attacking the sealing magic barring him from his memories amounts to a severe fever which sees him confined to his room for weeks on end. Through this month, Zhenya regularly recollects the horrors of his past as nightmares while his willing soul reduces the strength of the barrier. Zhenya and Yulia grow closer during his sickness, being swayed by old emotions of loneliness and longing for his childhood friend, C—emotions he had lost much to the magic.

After his recovery, few of his difficulties resolve, though he struggles to recall his nightmares as they were nothing but. Zhenya, having gained much faith and trust in the eight years knowing Yulia, openly expresses his concern of memory loss. Yulia, unknown of her father’s ulterior motives and mildly blinded by her newfound attraction towards Zhenya—fearing that the uncovering of his true past would sever their relationship—reassures him that his falsified childhood is a reality. Having faith in Yulia, though still with concerns, he does not mention it again.

Amidst his search for historical records—which has been insofar unfruitful, Lord R pays a rare visit to the outskirt estate and meets Zhenya for the first time since his capture—though, in fear of recalling Zhenya’s blocked memories, does so indirectly through Yulia who acts as an intermediary for her father. Lord R reinforces Zhenya’s wishes to support the Tsaritsa and commends his future aspirations. However on his departure, Zhenya eavesdrops the muted exchange between Lord R cautioning her daughter of the information that she provides through her teaching.

Now possessing an irrefutable point of suspicion, Zhenya traces the few breadcrumbs laid within Lord R’s caution, whilst attempting to appear as impartial as usual.

Unable to suppress Zhenya’s advances through passive measures, Yulia firmly reiterates his told past up to the present, both in hope of reinforcing it and invoking a passionate acceptance from him. Though having questioned his trust in her through his search and witnessed the potency of his dreams of C, much of his past attraction towards Yulia has been revoked and he dismisses her. Hurt by the rejection if her advances, the two grow distant

Yulia, with little hope left in swaying Zhenya back to their normalcy, she chooses to call upon her father for help.

On the morning of Zhenya’s planned escape from the estate, Yulia is not seen at her usual business on the upper floors—though unusual, is dwarfed by the task ahead of him. He traverses down the balcony of the tower on a rope into the gardens before making his way to the courtyard, only to be greeted by Lord R.

After a brief spat in which Zhenya accuses Lord R of his wrongdoing—including the brainwashing of both Zhenya and Yulia, Lord R quickly reveals that Yulia informed him of his instability and planned escape, to which Yulia exits from the estate to stand alongside her father. Though unable to look at either Lord R or Zhenya eye to eye, she hesitatingly apologises before being interrupted momentarily by Zhenya, continuing after.

Sensing Zhenya’s feelings of betrayal, Lord R attempts to psychologically assault him by revealing the events unknown to Zhenya in the past eight years—including the execution of his father. Infuriated, Zhenya draws his sword, Lord R taking the act to be a pitiful challenge.

...